Musket With Name On Stock

I have this musket and, as you can see, it has a name in pretty significantly large letters on the left side of the stock. I'm assuming something like this would be done by an owner - to make sure his weapon wasn't taken by someone else - as opposed to it being some sort of manufacturing mark.

It appears to be a US Model 1812 (or perhaps what is called a "pre-1812") flintlock musket made by Eli Whitney and converted to percussion by what was called the "French style" or "drum and nipple" conversion. You can see where the holes for the frizzen screw and frizzen spring screw have been plugged and polished down. In its original flintlock configuration, it would bring well close to $3000 (in spite of the "carving", but the conversions are bringing under half that.

In the days before serial numbering of military arms, it was common for a soldier to put his name on the weapon for which he was responsible. It was usually against regulations (as it is today), but it was done anyway.

Very nice piece. My 1812 Whitney has the cone-in-barrel conversion. It appears that the use of a Hawken style hammer was quite common for conversions. I have an 1816 conversion with a similar hammer. There are some web sites where you can search the names of Civil was vets. I have an 1863 musket that was traced to the person who carried it. Try a google the name.

I have seen some work done by those "whittlers" and have little doubt it was hand carved, not done with a machine. Unlike modern workmen, to whom time is money, the old timers were patient and careful. Scrimshaw and ivory carving are other examples of such work.